Frictional sealing closure



March 30 1926. 1,578,681

G. RAMSEY FRI CTIONAL SEAL' NG OLO SURE Filed Sept. 21, 1922 aSheets-Sheet 1 March 30 1926.

v G. RAMSEY FRI CTIONAL SEALING CLOSURE Filed Sept. 21, 1922 2sheets-Shea. 2

l Patented Mar. so, 1926.

UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE."

GEORGE RAMSEY, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO ANC-HOB CAP &`CLOSURIEOORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FRICTIONAL SEALING- CLOSURE.

Application led September 21, 1922. Serial No. 589,584.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE -RAMsmg a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, lState of 6 New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Frictional SealingClosures, of which the following is a specilication. l

This invention relates to closures and more 10 specially to closures ofthe friction type.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a closurewhich may be applied to a vessel by a simple operation not necessitatingspecial machinery, and which will retain its place unt-il' intentionallyremoved, and which may be replaced as desired to re-seal the package.

Asmore particular object of the invention is the provision of a closurecap having the characteristics above specified, which is adapted 'toaccommodate a maximum range of variation in size and contour of the kindof vessels forwhich it is designed, and-provide an effective closure andseal upon such f various vessels.

Another particular object is the provision of a cap having the.aforementioned characteristics, which is so constructed as tofacilitate its being forced Ito sealing position on avessel, and tosafeguard it against unintentional distortion in such operation.

'Another object is the provision of such a.

cap, wherein the construction is such as' to facilitate the exhaustionof air from the vessel to which it is applied, preliminary to themovement of the cap to sealing position.

Other` and further objects and advantages of the invention will beobvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments now abouttobe described, or will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter in thespecification or the appended claims, or appear from the accompanyingdrawings forming a part 0f this application. l

In the drawings is illustrated the preferred form in which the inventionmay be einbodied, together with certain modifications. It is to beunderstood, however, that the several species therein illustrated arenot reeties of forms in which the invention may be embodied.

Inasaid drawings Figure 1 represents a Side elevational view, partly insection, of a garded or intented as exhaustive of the vari form ofclosure cap embodying features of the invention;

vFigure 2 is a fragmentary elevational section illustrating theassociation of such a cap with a suitable vessel, preliminary to itsbeing moved vto sealing'position, the parts being shown in exaggeratedscale and pro-l portion;

Figure 3 is a similar fragmentary sectlonal elevation showing, inexaggerated 'scale and proportion, the relationship ofthe cap and thevessel when the vformer is in sealing position upon the latter;4

Figure 4 is a fragmentary `cross section taken substantially on line 4 4of Figure l;

Figure v5 is a detail in the nature of a part elevation of a modifiedform;

Figure 6 is an elevational view, partly in section of a secondmodification; and

Figure 7 is a detail of a portion of the cap s own in Figure 6, with thecap on a sultable vessel.

Described generally, the invention contemplates a closure in the natureof a cap which is provided with a peripheral skirt portion, which may beformed integrally with or separately from a coyer portion designed tdclose the mouth of a vessel. The skirt portion provides a constrainingmember adapted to engage the wall of the vessel'under tension induced bythe movement of the closure on to the vessel by force exertedlongitudinally ofthe axis of the latter. The constraining vmember ischaracterized .by being formed with a continuous contact member which isresilient, and which is designed to engage the wall of the vessel underresilient tension' in such fashion as' to hold the closure on the vesseland rovide a sealing zone between the two un er suitable compression toinsure close and uniform contact. In order to increase the adaptabilityof the constraining member to the contour of the vessel, it is providedwith a number ofA transverselfy.

'extending corrugations, which have these feet of increasin thecircumferential expansibility of t e constraining member, which permitsthe contact member being pre-formed on a considerably smallercircumference, or shorter radius, than the wall portion of the vesselupon which itis designed to seat, with the result that, when the voolcap is forced on the vessel, a high tension y is induced in theconstraining member as a whole without reaching thc limit of elastici- 4ty of the material. This secures closer contact of the contact memberwiththe vessel I wall, and causes it to conform to all irregu--la-ritiesin its contour. Moreover, it enables- 'caps of a given size tobe utlhzed in sealing vessels Vof 'a given commercial size which' .varymaterially in actual vmeasurement 'at the sealing zone.

To facilitate the forcingof the closure to sealing position on thevessel, the constraining memberis provided with a plurallty ofcorrugations or inwardly'extending support-- ing projectionsfo'rmedbelow and contiguous to or as a part of the contact, member, and saidsupporting projections are spaced apart about the circumference oftheconstraining member, and have sloping lortapering lower extremitiesdisposed toward the lower mar'- gin of the constraining member in suchpositionv as torengage the vessel at separated points.

These separate projectionshave a twofold function; they form temporaryspacing supports for the capupon the vessel, hold.- i-ng kthe majorportion of the cap out of contact therewith, so that the vair may beexhausted preliminary to' the movement of the cap toward the sealingposition, and they act as wedging members or inclined planes effectiveto induce thetension in the constraining member gradually 'as the cap ismoved to sealing position. Beca-use of this last function, the amount offorce necessary to seat the cap is less than it would be if the materialin the constraining memberl were stretchedv to the full degree.immediately.

The invention may be understoodmore particularly by reference totheembodiments shown in the drawings, wherein the resp-ective referencecharacters are utilized to indicate similar parts inthe several views.

In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 is shown a form of cap `which may be madeconveniently of` any resilient sheet material such as sheet metal,properly shaped toprovide a cover portion -1 and a skirt portion 2.Thecove-r 1 may be provided with a `sunken portion or panel 4. The skirtis formed'with a circum-` bossments coalescing with the rib 5 but pref-.e-rably of somewhatless depth than saidrib,

in lgigure 5.

so that theircrests do not project inwardly so far-as-does the crest ofthe rib. The lower extremities of the lower series of projections 7preferably slope outwardly to the skirt portion so as to form sloping orwedgelike supporting members. The normal peripheral wall of the skirtportion as well as the lower margin of the skirt, lie on circumferenceswhich are conveniently larger than the-peripheral circumference of thevessel for which the lcap is designed, but the crests of the projections7 .Alie on a circumference which is' smallerthan that of the intendedvessel, while the crest of theA rib 5, which constitutes the .contactmember, is disposed on a stillI smaller circumference; the relationshipbeing illustrated in exaggeralted proportions in Figure 2, wherein thevessel is designated by the character C. The rib 5 is preferably narrowso that its crest or contact'portion will afford a narrow zone ofcontact upon the vessel wall, and it may be either of angular form, asillustrated in Figure 1, or of arcuate form as illustrated y virtue ofthis construction, as will be evident from Figure 4, the folded orzigzag form of the skirt'gives it, in a fashion, the properties of acontracted spring, 'and increases its circumferential expansibility bypermittingl its diameter being increased without necessitating directstretching of the metal. The contact vportion 4of the rib 5, however,not being folded, is subjected to stretching when its circumferentialextent is increased, yso that the material is placed in a high tensionwhich gives it an effective inward gripping action. This tensionisinduced in rib 5 by the operation of forcing the cap on to ,av suitablevessel. The operation is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The upper rimof the vessel being originally accommodated within the edge 6, the caprests thereon by .virtue of the con- -tact of the sloping endsl of thelower or supporting projections v7. Pressure exerted upon thecaplongitu'dinally of the axis of the vessel will exert a wedging actionon the lower projections 7, which will be effective to expand the lowerskirt portion to accommodate the vessel. As the cap rides down upon thevessel the distension .of the constraining member increases graduallyuntil, when the rib 5 reaches they vessel rimit is' necessary to producesimply the 'requisite stretching of the material in the rib to move thecap to sealing position. This stretching of the rib 5 is accompanied byan increase in the degree of divergence of its sides as illustrated inFigure 3, the result being to rock the portions of theskirt above andbelow the rib into an angular relationship relative to the vessel wall,and thereby increase the gripping pressure of the projections 7 upon it.In the operation of applysubstantially cylindrical nemesi ing the cap tothe vessel, the projections 7 constitute stiffening members whichprevent collapse of the skirt, and they also function as struts fortransmitting the pressure from the top of the capte the rim of thevessel.

e cap may be removed from the vessel either by driving itofflongitudinally thereof, or by depressing the rib 5 by rolling the vesselwith the periphery of the cap in contact with a hard surface.

The modification shown in Figure 5 embodies the several features andadvantages of the form just described, but has the rib 5 and theprojections 7 of arcuate cross-sectional form instead of angular.

ln Figure 6 is illustrated'a cap in which the lower edge is a wired edge8 to provide additional strength to this edge and to give a slightlydifferent appearance to the cap.

Figure 7 illustrates the cap shown in Figure 6, when in place on asuitable con-s tainer, and shows a detail of the cap and container incrossLsection.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

1. In a closure for containers having a substantially cylindricalsealing surface adjacent the mouth; a skirt com rising a series ofcorrugations extending su stantially the full height vof the skirt andrendering git readily expansible through a large range to size it to theindividual container to which `the closure may be. applied, saidcorrugations protruding inwardly and having crests located on acircumference smaller than the sealing wall of the container for whichthe closure is designed whereby the corrugations gras the sealing wallwhen the closure is applic and an annular sealing beadtraversing saldcorrugations lntermedlate their ends, said bead having a continuousannular crest adapted to grasp the sealing wall, said annular crestbeing of' smaller circumference than the line of crests of -saidcorrugations.

2. In a closure for containers having a substantially cylindricalsealing surface ad-- 1 jacent the mouth; a skirt comprising a series ofinwardly protruding corrugations rendering the skirt readily `expansiblethrough a large range to size it tothe individual container to which theclosure may be applied, and a single annular sealing bead traversingsaid corrugations between their ends, said bead having a continuousannular crestadapted to grasp the sealing wall of the container. v

3. vIn a closure for containers having a sealing surface adjacent themouth; a skirt comprising a single annular sealing bead having acontinuous annular crest adapted to grasp ancontainer sealing wall; andva series of instruck corrugations extending upwardly from said sealingbead to a point near the cover portion, said corrugatlons stltfeningsaid skuA` vertically and rendering 1t readily expansble through a widerange -to size it to the in dividual container to lwhich be applied.

4. In a closure for containers having a substantially cylindricalsealing wall adjathe closure Vmay cent the mouth; a skirt comprising aseries and adapted to grasp the container sealing wall; saidcorrugations being so located as to permit the exhaust et air from thecontainer until the sealing bead has grasped the container sealing wall.

5. ln a closure for containers having a substantially cylindricalsealing wall adjacent the mouth; a skirt comprising a series of spacedapart indentations, said indentations having portions ^lying on acircumference smaller than the sealing wall of the container for whichthe closure is designed whereby the` indentations grasp the sealingwally of the container when the closure is applied; and an inwardlyprotruding annular sealing bead located above said indentations andadapted to grasp the container sealing wall; said indentations being so1ocated as to permit the exhaust of air from the container until thesealing bead has grasped the container sealing wall.

6. In a closure for containers having a substantially cylindricalsealing wall adjacent the mouth; a skirt comprising a series oftransverse corrugations, said corrugations having portions lying on alcircumference smaller than the sealing wall of the contain er for whichthe closure is designed and talos pering outwardly towards the bottomofthe sealing wall; said corrugations being soy located as to permit theexhaust of air from `:the container until the sealing bead lhas graspedthe container sealing wall.

7. A closure for containers comprising-a cover portion adapted to closethe mouth of a vessel, and a skirt portion having its normal partadapted'to encompass the peripheral'wall of the vessel with a clearance,said skirt portion having a part pressed inwardiy to provide a contactmember having its` inner surface disposedfon a smaller circum ferencethan that of the' peripheral Wall surface of the vessel, the skirtportion above the Contact member being provided With transversecorrugations forming` struts extending from the Contact member to apoint near the cover portion.

8. A closure cap in combination With a glass container having a sideWall sealing surface adjacent the mouth of the container` means on saidcap in the form of corrugations to provide passage Ways leading to theinterior of said container to permit the exhaustion of air from saidcontainer when the cap is placed over the mouth thereof bofore thesealing operation is completed, and independent means in the form of asealing bead in the skirt portion of Said cap cooperative With said sideWall sealing surface to close said passage Ways when said cap is,

sealed on said container.

GEORGE RAMSEY.

